African violet plant named Little Crystal

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of African violet named Little Crystal which is a sport of Little Apatite, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 251,250. Little Crystal is characterized by its miniature growth habit; single, plain white flowers with elongated petals; strong stems which curve toward the center to form a compact bouquet above the leaves; profuse and continuous flowering; medium green, spear to heart-shaped leaves; flowering 10-11 weeks after planting of unrooted shoot, and by its long lasting and non-dropping flowers.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Africanviolet plant, botanically known as Saintpaulia ionanatha, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Little Crystal.

The new cultivar was referred to during the breeding and selectionprocess by the designation M/I 402 and is a sport of Little Apatite,disclosed in my U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 251,250. Thefemale, or seed parent of Little Apatite was a cultivar designated 4Mini. The male, or pollen parent of Little Apatite was a cultivardesignated 69. Little Crystal is similar in all essential respect toLittle Apatite except for its white color. Little Crystal was discoveredin a flowering block of the parent cultivar Little Apatite, andsubsequently selected. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by leafcuttings, as performed by me at Haffen, West Germany, has demonstratedthat the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the newcultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

Little Crystal has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements and values describe the newcultivar as grown in a 4 cm pot in Haffen, West Germany and Nashville,Tenn. under greenhouse conditions which closely approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Little Crystal, which in combinationdistinguish this African violet as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) Little Crystal is a miniature violet and will not grow taller than6.8 cm.

(2) Single, (sometimes almost semi-double), white flowers with elongatedpetals.

(3) Strong wirelike and upright flower stems curving toward the center.

(4) First flash of flowers form a tight bouquet above the leaves.

(5) Profuse flowering; under good growing conditions continuousblooming.

(6) Each plant carries 7-10 and more upright flower stems each of whichcarries 4 and more flowers.

(7) Long lasting, non-dropping flowers.

(8) Plant saleable 10 to 11 weeks after planting of unrooted shoot.

(9) Seed capsules push slightly through.

(10) Medium green, hairy leaves.

(11) Spear to heart-shaped leaves are 2.0 to 2.5 cm in size.

(12) After maturity the flowers dry off and remain on the peduncle.

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows a typical specimenplant of the new cultivar grown in a 4 cm pot. The colors appearing inthe photograph are as true as possible with color illustrations of thistype.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), except where general colorsof ordinary significance are referred to. Color values were taken undernatural sunlight conditions at approximately 1 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.

Botanical Classification: Saintpaulia ionantha, Ramat., c.v. LittleCrystal.

Parentage: Sport of Little Apatite disclosed in U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 251,250.

Propagation: The new cultivar holds its distinguishing characteristicsthrough successive propagations by leaf cuttings.

Plant: From 4 cm to 6 cm tall when grown in pots, and approximately 8-10cm in diameter when fully grown.

Leaves.--General form: Spear to heart-shaped. Diameter: 20-24 mm wideand 23-26 mm long. Texture: Leatherlike. Aspect: Shiny, hairy. Veins:Upperside: visible; underside: well pronounced, light green, shiny.Color (upperside): Green Group 137 A. Color (underside): Yellow-GreenGroup 147 D. Petiole: Strong, light green, hairy.

Flowers.--Buds: Size: 3-4 mm just before opening. Shape: Bell-shaped.Color: Light green. Sepals: Five (5). Color: Greenish brown. Calyx:Shape: Funnel-shaped. Aspect: Spear-shaped, hairy. Peduncle: Character:Strong, wirelike, upright, hairy. Color: Light green. Individualflowers: Size: 21-24 mm. Shape: Single, (sometimes almost semi-double),violet-shaped, but with elongated petals, especially the 3 large ones.Color (upperside): Plain white. Color (underside): Plain white. Borne:Each flower stem carries 4 and more flowers on strong, upright pedunclethat are free standing above the leaves, thereby forming a compactbouquet. Flowering habit: Flowers 10-11 weeks after planting an unrootedplantlet.

Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Two (2). Anthers: 2 composed of 4 anthercells, seed capsule pushed slightly through. Filaments: Greenish white,2 mm long. Styles: 4-5 mm long, white, occasionally purplish red, baseof ovary light green and hairy.

Roots.--Normally developed, white when young, turning slightly brownishwhen older.

Disease resistance: Good.

General observations: Little Crystal is a super miniature violet, whichdoes not grow taller than 6-8 cm. The single, white flowers haveelongated petals. Occasionally, 1-2 additional small petals develop inthe center, sometimes even more, giving some flowers a semi-double look.The flowers are very long-lasting and non-dropping. Little Crystal hascontinuous blooming characteristics, and under good growing conditions,it will not stop blooming. A nice bouquet of flowers free standing abovethe leaves develops approximately 10-11 weeks after planting an unrootedplantlet. Each of the 7-10 and more strong flower stems carries 4 andmore flowers. The medium green leaves are spear to heart-shaped.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of African violet named LittleCrystal, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized byits miniature growth habit; single, plain white flowers with elongatedpetals; strong stems which curve toward the center to form a compactbouquet above the leaves; profuse and continuous flowering; mediumgreen, spear to heart-shaped leaves; flowering 10-11 weeks afterplanting of unrooted shoot, and by its long lasting and non-droppingflowers.